Trauma
by ResurrectVMars
Summary: After a late night phone call rocks Veronica's world, she's on her way back to Neptune. Back to her friends, family and back into the arms of a brooding man whom she'd left behind years ago. Rated T just to make sure I can go a little crazy.


A sharp ringing lured me from my slumber; it was a familiar ringing, accompanied by a vibration against my nightstand. My eyes refused to give in to the growing temptation to open and see who was calling me in the dead of night; instead, my hand flew from underneath my pillow to the phone and silenced it. Before I had any time to think, I was back asleep. Little did I know that this phone call was the phone call that would change my world, throw it upside down and slam it into small pieces.

A lot of people are lucky not to experience losing someone they love until they are older. Some people only have to deal with losing someone once or twice in their lives. Unfortunately, I'm neither of these people. I lost my closest friend in the beginning of high school; I then lost two more friends before high school graduation and then the Neptune sheriff as well. When I checked the phone number that had been unsuccessful in reaching me the night before, I realized it was Neptune Memorial. They were calling me to let me know that my father had been admitted for some slight chest pain that night and that I was his emergency contact. I re-dialed the number and a woman's voice greeted me.

"Neptune Memorial, Chloe speaking." She spoke.

"Hi there, Chloe. I received a phone call at about 3 in the morning last night about my dad being in your care. Is there any way you're able to transfer me to his room?" I asked.

"I can do that. What was the name?"

"Keith Mars." I spoke as I made myself comfortable on the couch in my living room.

"Is this Veronica I'm speaking to?" The nurse's voice had changed slightly as she said my name.

"Yes it is."

"Veronica, I'm sorry to say this but your father has suffered a massive heart attack. He's as stable as we could get him but unfortunately his outlook doesn't look too well. My suggestion is that you come here as soon as you're able to." The nurses concern was evident in her voice; as was her urgency.

I hadn't stepped foot in Neptune since I'd graduated from Hearst, and that was nearly 4 years ago. I'd left most of my friends behind in order to pursue a new life far away from the town that seemed to never run out of crime and mystery. I am still a licensed private investigator and although there are times I get to relive my high school days and chase down real criminals, most of my paychecks are from suspicious husbands or wives determined to catch their significant others in tangled webs of lies and deceit, in order to cash in on a big divorce settlement. It is still California, after all.

Before I could even find his name in my phone, Wallace was calling me. I'd figured he'd heard all about my dad. Ever since last summer his mom had been spending more time with my dad and as weird as it was before it wasn't any longer; it had become the new normal. Neither of the two would confirm nor deny a relationship between the two of them, but Wallace and I knew it was just a matter of a ring before step-sibling-dom.

"Veronica, I'm so sorry." Wallace's voice was soft and comforting.

"Thanks, I'll be there shortly. And we all know my dad is tougher than most guys." I spoke, thinking back to his wrestling match between himself and Aaron Echolls years and years ago.

"That's the truth." I heard his smile through the telephone, "When are you headed back this way?" He asked.

"I'll be leaving in about a half hour, and I probably won't arrive until after 6 tonight." I spoke. As much as I loved living away from Neptune, its events like these that made me wish I lived closer to home. I heard mumbling from a distanced voice through Wallace's end of the phone, I smiled and assumed it was his mom. "Tell your mom I said hello and that I'll be seeing her shortly." Wallace laughed.

"Are you crazy? I haven't seen her since she got the phone call that your dad was in there, but, you can say hello to my girlfriend." I halted.

"I think you broke some kind of best friend code by not telling me you had a girlfriend." I spoke through a smile. "I'll let this one pass and I'll save the hello for when I meet her in person today, sound good?"

"Sounds good, I'll talk with you later." Wallace said as he hung up. I slid the phone in my jacket pocket, packed the two bags of belongings I couldn't part from in the back of my SUV and before I knew it, I was Neptune-bound.

As I passed the sign that welcomed me back and in the time I'd been gone I saw nothing different besides another Java the Hut location where there used to be an ice cream shop. I pulled into the parking lot in front of my dad's apartment, grabbed my bags and let myself in. It was incredibly lonesome looking. Although my dad said that he spent more time at the Fennel's household than Alicia spent at his place, it was still slightly depressing. Backup passed away 2 years ago at the ripe age of 9 and I was glad that after I left he had rekindled things with Alicia.

I brought my things into my old bedroom; he'd kept it the same way since I'd left. He said he didn't have anything to do with it; he didn't want a home gym or a theatre room. He said he'd always keep it available in case I ever needed to move back home. I heard my phone ringing from the living room as it was still in my jacket pocket. I slid my suitcases underneath my bed and went to the living room to answer it. The number looked familiar, yet unfamiliar. I answered with a suspicious tone.

"Hello?" I spoke curiously.

"I just heard about your dad." A voice echoed through the receiver. A voice I hadn't heard since graduation. I couldn't help but smile.

"The nurses say he's stable and as good as he can be right now. He's a tough guy. Thanks for your concern." I spoke.

"Are you back in our lovely Neptune to visit him?" He spoke softly.

"Why yes I am, I just arrived around 5 or 6 minutes ago before I was rudely interrupted by a phone call." I joked.

"Think your dad still has it out for me?" I could hear the smirk through the phone.

"He's a forgiving person, but I'm sure he's not your biggest fan, Logan." I spoke as I gathered my keys from the counter and made my way to my car.

"I've never had too many fans at once; I remember when you were one of the biggest ones though." I smiled as I closed the SUV's door behind me. "Did you want a ride to the hospital?" He spoke as I looked down at the steering wheel, knowing full well I was just an ignition key away from leaving.

"Do you even remember where I live?" I joked and heard a small laugh as a response.

"Of course I do, when were you planning on leaving?"

"Probably in about a half hour." I lied; I was still looking right at my steering wheel.

"I'll be there by then. See you soon, Veronica." He spoke as the phone beeped in my ear, signaling a message.

"Sounds good, bye Logan." I spoke as I ended the call and saw it was a message from Mac. Her and I had kept the same closeness that we had had in high school and college, but I'll never understand how or why she fell for Dick somewhere in between the end of college and shortly thereafter. Better yet, I was surprised that Dick had the mentality to actually commit to someone; let alone someone who he used to live to make miserable. She would be at my dad's hospital room in a couple of hours; nothing like a reunion at my dad's bedside.

I couldn't think straight at this point in time as my on again, off again, on again, off again boyfriend made his way to my dad's apartment. We hadn't spoken since we graduated Hearst. We remained friends throughout those 4 years, but as I obtained a degree in law enforcement; he gained a degree in video game design, which kept us very busy, separately busy. Even when things fizzled with Piz during our sophomore year, we never went back to us. I can't say I don't miss him, or hadn't missed him these past years. In fact, I've missed him more than anyone else; too bad I rarely let myself accept this. When I heard a car engine outside and a car door close I knew this was it. Soon enough, there was a knock on my door and when I pulled the door open, the bashful green eyes greeted me with a small smile.

"Hey, Stranger."


End file.
